High Tech Snowstorm: PennDOT Tests Tracking System In Several Dozen Trucks
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) -- Call it snowplow voyeurism. PennDOT has just started testing a tracking system in several dozen trucks that will let you see what roads they've cleared and when.
The souped-up GPS is called Automated Vehicle Location. PennDOT's John Krafczyk says crews and supervisors will use it to improve how they respond to a storm.
"This system has the capability of showing us pretty much in real-time where our trucks are," Krafczyk told KYW Newsradio. "We can analyze how long a cycle's taking, we can monitor their speeds. So if we see speeds dropping, we can throw additional resources that way."
It'll also show whether the trucks are spreading salt or anti-skid solution.
The rest of us will be able to watch plow progress on the state's travel conditions website, 511pa.com.
"Often, when we get really severe storms, we will pull trucks up from the lower network to assist on the limited-access and interstates and those trucks will not show up on the system. But I think it'll give them the comfort knowing that we're there," Krafczyk said.
As PennDOT does this trial run, Delaware's Department of Transportation has all 330 of its trucks hooked up to a similar system.
